With Christmas just around the corner, you might have noticed that some of your favorite dishes have disappeared from the table and been replaced with gluten-free Christmas food alternatives.
If you’ve got someone with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity in your family, it’s not uncommon to see this happening this time of year.
Although many try to avoid gluten during their vacation, it can be hard to do so when everyone else indulges in delicious gluten-free Christmas foods like cake, cookies, and pie!
Fortunately, there are still plenty of delicious options that will make your holiday season merry and bright without any of the guilt.
What is Gluten Free Food?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, spelled, Kamut, and triticale. It’s also found in some processed foods like soy sauce.
When you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity (also known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity), eating gluten protein can cause your immune system to react badly.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction can include nausea, stomach pain or cramping, diarrhea, fatigue, or weakness.
Gluten Free Foods for Christmas
1. Vegan Raspberry Creme Cakes
The first on the list of gluten-free Christmas foods is Vegas Raspberry creme cake. Instructions;
- Preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Prepare two 9-round cake pans by lining the bottoms with parchment paper rounds, then spraying them with cooking spray.
- Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter until light in color (about one minute).
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 10 seconds). Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and milk in four batches; beat on low speed until just combined after each addition (10 seconds).
- Stir in raspberries by hand using a spatula or wooden spoon; be sure not to over-mix!
2. Prune and Nut Crostata
This gluten-free crostata recipe, which I’ve adapted from a traditional Italian dessert called torta di prune e noce, is perfect for the holiday season. It’s got all the flavor of a traditional holiday fruit pie but without any of the hassle or fuss.
This recipe is pretty simple since it relies on store-bought pie crusts for the dough. You can use your favorite kind of butter, shortbread, or even chocolate chips!
The filling is just as easy: it’s just prunes, walnuts, and sugar mixed together in a bowl with cinnamon and lemon zest before going into the prebaked crust.
All you need after that is to bake it until golden brown and serve it with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!
3. Berry Meringue Cake
These gluten free Christmas foods and berry meringue cakes are treats that all can enjoy. It’s light, sweet, fluffy, and soft enough for a beginner baker. Plus, it’s perfect for the holiday season!
Here are the ingredients you’ll need: Large eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, butter at room temperature, a cup plus superfine or cake flour sifted with baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Note that this is not regular white flour.
4. Chicken, Ham, and Leek Pie
This dish is perfect for the holidays because it features readily available seasonal ingredients but is also gluten free.
Traditionally, a pie crust is made from scratch. However, there are some gluten free Christmas foods pie crusts available on the market (some frozen, some refrigerated).
If you prefer to make your own dough, I recommend using a recipe from Brown Eyed Baker or Gluten Free Mama. These gluten free Christmas foods can be served as an appetizer or as a main course.
5. Persian Pavlova
There are plenty of delicious gluten free Christmas foods that can make your holiday season merry and bright. One such dish is the Persian pavlova, which is a traditional dessert from Iran.
This recipe is gluten-free because it does not contain any eggs or flour, but it does have honey, which many people with gluten intolerance can tolerate. The food has a meringue made with egg whites, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract.
Once the meringue has been whipped into stiff peaks, fold in chopped nuts such as almonds or pistachios.
Then spoon this mixture into individual oven-proof cups and bake for about an hour at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until they turn golden brown on top.
6. Peach and Raspberry Pavlova
This dessert is a twist on the traditional pavlova that you can enjoy without worrying about gluten. Pavlovas are a very easy dessert to make, with just three ingredients needed: whipped egg whites, sugar, and cornstarch.
Whipped egg whites are mixed with sugar and cornstarch and then baked in the oven until they puff up into a beautiful meringue shell.
Now for the filling! This version is made with fresh peaches, raspberries, vanilla extract, lemon juice, agave nectar or honey, and more ground almonds.
The filling is simply tossed together and then spooned onto the baked meringue in heaps of fruit. Finally, it’s topped off with some whipped cream or coconut cream for extra decadence.
7. Vegan Blueberry Cheesecake Bars
This vegan blueberry cheesecake bar recipe is a twist on the traditional dessert, so you can enjoy this gluten free holiday treat that everyone will love.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper or foil, then set aside.
- In a blender or food processor, blend together almond milk, cashews, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and coconut oil until smooth.
- Add in maple syrup and sea salt (to taste)
- Pour mixture into pan
- In a small bowl, whisk together gluten free flour mix and cornstarch.
- Stir in water at a time until the dough is workable but not too sticky
- Press dough onto the top of filling
8. Passionfruit and Lime Tart
This gluten-free tart is a riff on the classic combination of passionfruit and lime. I’ve added a touch of vanilla bean for complexity, but you can use vanilla extract instead if you don’t have any beans.
The crust is made with almond flour, coconut sugar, lime zest, salt, eggs, cinnamon, and melted butter.
It’s then baked until light golden brown before being filled with the tart mixture consisting of peeled ripe passionfruit, fresh lime juice, and sugar.
Also, you can use coconut sugar because it has a light caramel flavor that compliments the fruits) and cornstarch mixed together into a slurry.
Let it cool in the oven before removing it from the pan and serving it with whipped cream or ice cream.
9. Paleo Cherry Ripe
If you’re looking for gluten free Christmas foods, try these ideas. Whether it’s a dessert or a main dish, each one of these recipes is made with wholesome ingredients and will help your holiday season be merry and bright.
Paleo Cherry Ripe: This paleo cherry ripe recipe is made with all-natural ingredients, so there’s no need to worry about preservatives or artificial flavorings. It makes a great healthy snack or dessert!
Cranberry sauce: This recipe has just the right amount of sweetness that kids will love. Plus, it’s easy to make, so you can spend less time in the kitchen and more time enjoying the company of loved ones this holiday season.
10. Gluten Free Coconut and Cherry Brownie Slice
Coconut and cherry brownies are gluten free Christmas foods to celebrate Christmas. For those who are gluten free, this recipe is perfect for you!
- To start, melt butter, chocolate chips, and sugar together in a saucepan over low heat. Once the mixture is melted, add two eggs and whisk.
- Add in some almond flour (or any other gluten free flour) until it is mixed well. Take the saucepan off the stove after mixing it well into a dough. Add in some cherries (fresh or canned) and walnuts if desired.
- Take a muffin tin with parchment paper on each cupcake spot, and press the dough down into muffin tins so that it covers the bottom of each spot completely.
11. Pistachio and Lemon Layer Cake
Pistachio and lemon layer cake is a festive, gluten-free dessert that’s perfect for the holiday season. The cake layers contain ground pistachios, almond meal, coconut flour, and unsalted butter.
The lemon curd filling consists of freshly squeezed lemon juice, eggs, sugar, and butter. With this recipe, you’ll have a bright green pistachio pudding layer in between the two cake layers topped with whipped cream frosting.
12. Peach and Pecan Buckwheat Pancake Slice
These peach and pecan buckwheat pancake slices are the perfect gluten free Christmas foods for breakfast. It’s also vegan, keto, sugar-free, egg-free, dairy-free, corn-free, soy-free, and nut-free, and has no refined sugar. I like to serve it with fresh fruit on the side.
You can make this batter ahead of time too! Just put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days before using it.
13. Hazelnut Chocolate Dacquoise Cake with Red Wine Cherries
The dacquoise cake is a French dessert that dates back to the 1800s. It consists of three layers of wafers, each one baked twice, so it becomes crisp, layered with whipped cream or pastry cream between each layer.
The top layer is usually covered in either melted chocolate or chocolate ganache. This hazelnut chocolate dacquoise cake with red wine cherries can be made gluten free by using gluten free vanilla wafers for the base.
14. Maggie Beer’s Dried Apricot Pavlova with Apricot Curd
These gluten free Christmas foods pavlova recipes are modern adaptations of the traditional pavlova. The original used whipped cream, but this version uses Maggie Beer’s apricot curd for a hint of sweetness.
It’s topped with a tangy sweet apricot glaze and dried apricots for an indulgent holiday dessert. The ingredients involved are:
- Caster sugar
- Cornflour
- Egg whites
- Water
- Vinegar
- Vanilla extract or essence
To make the custard, bring cups of milk to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, occasionally stirring, so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.
15. Hazelnut Meringue Cake with Lime Curd, Peach, and Mango
This delicious gluten free Christmas foods cake has a light and airy hazelnut meringue layer with a rich lime curd filling.
It’s perfect for the holidays as it’s not too heavy or rich. In addition, it is simple enough to make that even novice bakers can handle it.
The recipe also includes peach slices, which are tasty and help offset the meringues’ sweetness with their tartness! I recommend serving this cake at your next dinner party or special occasion as an elegant dessert option that will please all your guests.
16. Gluten Free Pistachio Amaretti Morbidi
Start by making your dough. Mix ground almonds, sugar, eggs, cornstarch, and salt in a food processor.
Add a little water at a time until you have the dough in a ball. It will be sticky so dusting it with some more cornstarch before rolling it out is recommended.
Once you have rolled it out into an oval shape about 1/4 inch thick, place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.
17. Decadent Gluten Free Black Forest Brownie
These gluten free Christmas foods Black Forest brownies are intensely dark, moist, fudgy, and decadent. The chocolate flavor is intense but not too sweet.
A few bites will satisfy any sweet tooth craving! Chocolate lovers rejoice! I’ve got a delicious recipe for you.
My Gluten Free Christmas Foods Recipe makes a dense, rich cake with a thick layer of gooey chocolate frosting between two layers of brownie. It tastes like biting into the best slice of rich German Chocolate Cake without the dairy or eggs!
18. Spiced Carrot Cake with Ricotta Icing
This spiced carrot cake with ricotta icing is perfect for the holiday season. It’s not too heavy, so you can serve it after dinner without feeling like you’re overdoing it.
The cake has a gingerbread flavor with hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice that is enhanced by crushed pineapple baked right in.
For the icing, we use ricotta cheese mixed with confectioners’ sugar. If you prefer a sweeter icing, add honey or maple syrup to taste instead of confectioners’ sugar.
19. Boned and Rolled Turkey Breast
The boned and rolled turkey breast are gluten free Christmas Foods that most people think about when they think of gluten free Thanksgiving foods.
The great thing about the turkey breast is that you can make it ahead of time, keep it in the fridge until ready to cook, then just put it in the oven for a little over an hour.
If you prefer to grill your turkey, you can do this too by cooking your boned and rolled turkey breast over indirect heat. You’ll want to cook it until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
20. Roast Turkey with Stuffing
The next food on the menu is a classic: a whole roasted turkey with stuffing. Stuffing is usually bread crumbs soaked in broth or stock, but when making it gluten free, you can use rice, quinoa, cornbread crumbs, or some other type of flourless bread.
21. Vegetable Casserole
The next dish is a vegetable casserole that can be made with any combination of winter veggies, such as carrots, celery root, parsnips, and potatoes.
This food can also be made gluten free Christmas foods by replacing the traditional flour-based roux with a gluten free flour mix such as brown rice flour or chickpea flour.
22. Gluten-free Caramelized Carrot Tart with Carrot-top Salsa Verde
This recipe has a solid base of gluten free Christmas foods and vegan ingredients, but you could also make it with the traditional puff pastry.
In fact, this tart is so versatile that you could even enjoy it for breakfast or as a side dish at dinner.
The tart crust is made with ground almonds, rice flour, coconut oil, pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds), and salt. It’s mixed together in a food processor until it forms dough clumps.
The dough is then pressed into the tart pan until it covers the bottom and up the sides like an envelope. It’s baked for about 20 minutes in a 375-degree oven until golden brown on top.
23. Roast Pork with Apple and Apricot Stuffing
Pork is a perfect holiday meal, but it can be hard to find the right dish when you’re cooking for someone with celiac disease.
This recipe combines all the best fall flavors into roast pork gluten free Christmas foods. It’s easy enough for a weeknight dinner but festive enough for your Christmas table.
The stuffing is made with apples and apricots, which are both naturally gluten free. They give it an unusual flavor that will have everyone asking what’s in it!
This recipe is also convenient because you can make the roast pork ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it until you’re ready to cook it up on the big day.
24. Turkey Roulades with Sage Stuffing
This recipe is for gluten free Christmas foods turkey roulades with sage stuffing. This dish is served hot, and the meat can be used in sandwiches too.
You can use this recipe as a substitute for traditional stuffing or as a flavorful side dish with your favorite gravy. Simply put the stuffing in the center of an uncooked slice of turkey breast.
Roll it up, then tie it with string. Brush both sides of the rolled-up turkey breast with melted butter, salt, pepper, and some lemon juice.
25. Gluten-free Zesty Chicken and Broccolini Lasagne
This Gluten Free Christmas Foods Zesty Chicken and Broccolini Lasagne are a hearty yet delicious meal that’s perfect for the holiday season. The chicken is marinated in olive oil, garlic, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and thyme.
Then it’s layered with broccolini that has been oven roasted with salt, pepper, crushed garlic cloves, and olive oil. And, of course, there’s plenty of zesty tomato sauce mixed in!
Bake this dish at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes or until the lasagna noodles are tender but not mushy. You can enjoy it by itself or with a side salad.
26. Matt Preston’s Tomato and Plum Salad
Matt Preston’s tomato and plum salad is a light, refreshing dish that can be served with roast turkey or chicken. It is also perfect for the holiday season as it contains no gluten ingredients!
The recipe consists of plum tomatoes, olive oil, red wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and basil. Matt Preston’s tomato and plum mix takes less than 20 minutes to make, making it an excellent dish if you run short on time this festive season.
27. Summer Vegetable Lasagne
Who doesn’t love lasagne? This summer, vegetable lasagne is made without noodles, but it tastes just as good. Serve it with a side of garlic bread for dipping in the sauce.
The key to this dish is using fresh vegetables in season so you can enjoy them at their peak flavor.
28. Chargrilled Garlic and Chili Cuttlefish
You can make so many wonderful gluten free Christmas foods, but chargrilled garlic and chili cuttlefish are great options. Start by cutting flashing into bite-size chunks.
Add in finely chopped onion, parsley, salt, pepper, dried red chili flakes, and olive oil. Put the mixture on a baking tray lined with tin foil or parchment paper.
Grill the cuttlefish for about 10 minutes until the pieces are cooked through. Add in some lemon juice, crushed garlic cloves, and finely chopped basil leaves before serving.
29. Quinoa and Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Marinated Chicken
This festive quinoa and zucchini ribbon salad with marinated chicken are delicious gluten free Christmas foods. It’s light, refreshing, healthy, and perfect for the holidays.
First, cook your quinoa in vegetable broth for about 15 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. You then set it aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked quinoa with shredded zucchini ribbons, chopped chives, chopped basil leaves, avocado chunks (or sliced avocado), and dried cranberries (or raisins).
If you like them better than cranberries, freshly squeezed lemon juice from lemon, olive oil from lemon juice from lemon.
30. Pancetta and Cannellini Bean Risotto
Pancetta and Cannellini Bean Risotto is an elegant but easy meal for the holidays or any time of year! With just a few ingredients, you can enjoy this risotto as a decadent brunch on Sunday morning, a simple lunch at work, or even as dinner with friends.
These recipes are gluten free Christmas foods, vegan, and require minimal cooking time. This risotto is easy to make ahead of time (2 days in advance if refrigerated) so that it’s ready when you need it! It also stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
31. Easy Veal Osso Bucco
Osso Bucco is one of the best traditional Italian gluten free Christmas foods that are typically made with veal shanks.
This rich, hearty meal has a delicate flavor thanks to the use of fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme.
Traditionally, Osso Bucco is served with risotto or polenta, but you can also serve it as a main dish over whole grain pasta or gluten-free rice pilaf for those who don’t eat meat.
Start by prepping your veggies. Dice up an onion, carrot, celery stalk, garlic clove, parsley sprigs (leaves removed), and thyme sprigs (leaves removed). Add olive oil to a large Dutch oven or deep stock pot on high heat.
32. Crab, Parsnip, and Warm Spiced Butter Bean Salad
The crab, parsnip, and warm spiced butter bean salad are gluten free Christmas foods. To prepare this dish, you need Cooked white beans, fresh parsnips, canned crabmeat (or any kind), lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and black pepper to taste.
To start off with the crab, parsnip, and warm spiced butter bean salad. You will want to heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat until it is hot.
Next, add the chopped parsnips for about five minutes or until they are tender but not browned. Remove them from the pan and set them aside for later use.
33. Gluten-free Eggplant Parmigiana Lasagne
Celiacs are used to make substitutions for traditional dishes. Eggplant parmigiana is a classic Italian dish made gluten-free Christmas foods by using a substitute for traditional bread crumbs.
Traditionally, eggplant is coated in breadcrumbs before frying in oil. For this recipe, brown rice flour is mixed with water until it forms a paste, which coats the eggplant before it fries.
The result is an eggplant parmigiana that is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and free of gluten!
34. Cold Turkey Salad with Mango and Honey Dressing
The cold turkey salad with mango and honey dressing is a delicious dish that will make your holiday season merry and bright.
It’s one of the gluten free Christmas foods, so you don’t have to worry about cross-contamination, plus it’s easy to whip up in no time.
- Start by cooking the bacon until it starts turning crispy on the edges. Then set it aside on a paper towel for later.
- Next, cook the turkey breast in a pan over medium heat for about five minutes on each side or until it turns brown on both sides. While that cooks, chop up some kale leaves, avocados, and red peppers into bite-size pieces.
- When the turkey is cooked through, place it on top of a bed of kale leaves. Then add avocado slices and red peppers before topping everything off with bacon crumbles.
35. Healthy Cauliflower-crust Pizza with Ricotta, Prosciutto, and Mint Pesto
Cauliflower crust pizza is a delicious alternative for people who are gluten free or on a low-carb diet. The crust is made with riced cauliflower, eggs, cheese, and spices.
You can add your favorite toppings or keep it simple with just prosciutto, ricotta cheese, mozzarella, fresh mint pesto, and lemon zest. The results are crispy on the outside yet soft on the inside in every bite.
36. Barbecued Prawns with Charred Kale and Avocado
Barbecued prawns with charred kale and avocado make an amazing gluten free Christmas food. They’re easy to make, healthy, and perfect for a holiday gathering.
The prawns are marinated in garlic, honey, soy sauce, paprika, coriander seed, and cumin. The charred kale is tossed in sesame oil with plenty of salt. And the avocado is cut into cubes or slices. This dish takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish!
37. Arista’s Florentine-style Roast Pork Rack
Arista’s Florentine-Style Roast Pork Rack are delicious, gluten free Christmas foods. It’s also a great option for any other time of the year because it’s so easy to make.
The recipe serves 4 people, so if you’re cooking for a smaller group, this roast pork rack will be perfect. Plus, it can cook in only about 30 minutes!
38. Cheese and Garlic Pull-apart
Beef, Garlic, and Cheese Pull-Apart are one of the most popular recipes in my repertoire. I love this recipe because it’s so easy to make, with just a handful of ingredients.
Plus, it’s gluten free Christmas foods! I adapted my mom’s recipe by subbing out all-purpose flour for rice flour. The result was a moist, tender dough that was perfectly suited for pulling apart into pieces.
39. Buckwheat, Pomegranate, and Roasted Carrot Tabbouleh
It’s that time of year when we are all scrambling around trying to find some gluten free Christmas foods that will be good for the kids.
You know, the kids who would eat anything if it were wrapped up in a bow with a little tag on top? Yeah, those kids. I have been scouring our local grocery store, looking for some good ideas.
40. Cavolo Nero and ‘Nduja Pizza
Cavolo nero, also known as black cabbage, is a member of the kale family that grows in Sicily. ‘Nduja is a spicy salami from Calabria, Italy.
This pizza combines both of these things for an amazing crust on your pizza. It tastes great with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and fresh basil leaves on top.
This recipe makes two pies, so it’s perfect for sharing with friends or making one for yourself. Here’s how you can make it:
- Cut off the hard end of each head of cavolo nero; discard. Cut each head crosswise into 2 or 3 pieces; set aside.
- Put a large pot over high heat and add enough water to cover the cavolo; bring to a boil and cook until just tender but not mushy, 4 minutes tops. Drain well; toss with olive oil while still warm.
41. Vegan Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Chickpea Stew
This hearty vegan lentil, sweet potato, and chickpea stew are the perfect gluten free Christmas foods for your holiday season.
I like this recipe because it is hearty enough for winter nights and light enough for springtime lunches.
Lentils are an excellent source of protein, folate, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Sweet potatoes are high in vitamin A (beta carotene).
The precursor of vitamin A is converted by the body as needed. Chickpeas are high in dietary fiber, which helps with digestion. It’s important when you eat a lot of heavy foods during the holidays!
42. Bourbon and Pineapple Glazed Ham
Bourbon and pineapple glazed ham is a holiday season favorite, so why not make it gluten-free?
The typical ham is made with breadcrumbs or oats, but you can use gluten free Christmas foods corn flakes instead.
It’s easy to sprinkle the cornflakes in one layer on a baking sheet, then broil them until they’re lightly browned.
Let them cool before applying the glaze: Mix 1/2 cup of pineapple preserves with 3 tablespoons of bourbon.
43. Mushroom Quinoa Risotto with Hazelnut Gremolata
- Start by prepping your ingredients; heat the olive oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat, then add the chopped shallot, garlic, onion, and mushrooms to it.
- Cook them for about 2 minutes. Then pour in the rice. Cook until the rice is lightly browned, often stirring so that it doesn’t burn.
- Pour in the broth, salt, and pepper (to taste), stir well with a wooden spoon or spatula, then bring it all up to a simmer.
- Turn down the heat until it’s barely bubbling before covering it with a tight-fitting lid and letting it cook for 20 minutes without lifting it!
- While that is cooking away on low heat, you can make your gremolata topping!
44. Roast Pork and Pistachio Stuffing
It can be difficult during the holidays if you have a gluten allergy or are sensitive to gluten. That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy some of your favorite dishes.
If you’re feeling really ambitious, tons of recipes allow for substitutions, like this Roast Pork with Pistachio Stuffing. It’s gluten free Christmas foods and perfect for a beautiful holiday table.
